Odeon performs u-turn on Alice boycott threat

The UK’s biggest cinema chain climbs down from threats to boycott Disney’s forthcoming Alice In Wonderland after striking a deal with the studio.

Odeon & UCI Cinemas, the UK’s biggest exhibitor, has backed down from threats to boycott of Disney’s 3D animation just days after claiming it would not show the film in the UK, Ireland and Italy over a dispute about release windows.

The dramatic u-turn comes just days after the chain claimed it would not screen the film in the UK, Ireland and Italy because Disney planned to release the film on DVD after 12 weeks rather than the normal 17. It expressed concerns that it would set a precedent for releasing high profile films on DVD earlier, undermining the investment that exhibitors have made in 3D conversion.

But Odeon has since released a statement saying that it had reached “an enduring agreement” with Disney that covers “all the different aspects of both companies’ commercial relationship”.

It means that all three major UK cinema chains – Vue, Cineworld and Odeon – will now be releasing the Tim Burton film on March 5.

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